Rolling mill



Dec. 5, 1944. S N 2,364,386

ROLLING MILL Filed July 1'7, 1942 4 Sheets-fSheet -l ail Um Dec. 5, 1944.

E. T. PETERSON ROLLING MILL Filed July 17, 1942 4 Sheets$heet 2 /5 IIZIIIIIII I l I l I I I I I I l I I I I I I l I l l I I l l I l l I III =5;

38 .AIII Illlll IIIII III lllll Dec. 5, 1944. E. T. P'ETERSON 2,364,138

ROLLING MILL Filed July 17; 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 5, 1944.

E. T. PETERSON 2,364,386

ROLLING MILL Filed July 17, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 5, 1944 UNITED. STATES. PATENT OFFICE ROLLING MILL Edward T. Peterson, Reading, Pa. Application July 17, 1942, Serial No. 451,330

12 Claims.

This invention pertains to a rolling mill for forming and handling steel rods or bars and more particularly to a series of associated means for moving bars from a group of rolls to a location removed therefrom where the bars or rods are subjected to shearing means.

An object of the invention is the provision, in a rolling mill, of vertically and transversely movable carriage or transfer means arranged to remove rods or bars from an assembly table and deposit them on a movable means capable of carrying the rods or bars to a predetermined location.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a rolling mill, of a verticall movable assembly table arranged to deposit rods supported thereby upon a movable means for carrying rods'or bars to a predetermined location and upon a normally subjacent carriage means.

A further object of the invention is the pro vision, in a rolling mill, of a. plurality of trans-' versely spaced movable means arranged to carry rods longitudinally of the mill and transfer or carriage means associated with the movable means for depositing rods or bars on the movable means further removed from an assembly table.

A more detailed object of the invention is the provision, in a rolling mill, of track means having portions thereof lying in stepped or different horiaontal planes with carriage means arranged to move along the track means to assume a telescoping relationship relative to one another and effect a shifting of rods or bars from some of the carriage means to other of the carriage means.

The above as well as numerous other objects will become apparent from a perusal of the following description of an exemplified form of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and wherein:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a rolling mill embodying the present invention Figure 2 is a partial enlarged plan view of the rolling mill shown in Figure 1, being taken along the line 2-2'of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures 4 and. 5 are views taken through the same vertical plane as'Figure 3 except. that certain portions of the rolling mill have been moved through various stages of their permissive travel.

Figure 6. is a longitudinal vertical sectional view and taken along the line 6-8 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the portion of the rollin mill illustrated in Figure 6 except that certain parts thereof are extended through their entire range of movement.

Figure 8 is a schematic arrangement of a portion of the rolling mill.

Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts, the numeral l is employed to designate, in a general manner, a rolling mill having a series of metal fabricating rolls (not shown) arranged to form bars or rods, the latter preferably of cylindrical configuration with the bars or rods passing along certain predetermined paths to be ultimately fed to a set or sets of shears (not shown) whereby the bars or rods are severed into desired commercial lengths. The rolling mill of. the present invention is especially of a. hot mill type, that is to say, the metal before bein fed to the shaping rolls is preheated which necessitates cooling the bars or rods ultimately formed before being subjected to the above mentioned shears and subsequently stored in and shipped from the mill. Th rolling mill generally comprises a pair of transversely spaced runout tables or guideways 2 which extend longitudinally of the mill and are arranged to receive and carry away from the forming rolls, bars or rods 3. The runout tables are disposed between a suitable cat walk or runway 4 along which an operator may proceed to inspect or observe the operation or conduct of the mill. The mill is of counterpart or duplicate construction on each side laterally of the runout tables and for the purpose of convenience only one side of the rolling mill from the runout tableswill be hereinafter discussed; it being clearly understood that the succeeding description is equally applicable to each or either side of the mill. Since mill is disclosed and will be particularly described, but it is to be understood that the portion of the mill illustrated and described is duplicated or re' peated throughout the entire length of the rolling mill so that the mill may extend in some instances to a proportion of over two hundred and sixty feet. As a complete rod or'bar is formed, which in some instances a length in excess of two hundred and fifty feet is not unusual, a tripping arrangement 40 ejects the rod or bar transversely of a. portion oi'the rolling mill in normal position of the rolling mill from the runout table so that the bar or rod may ultimately be deposited in a groove a formed by the juncture of an apron lb and a tilting arrangement 5. The tilting arrangement is constructed so that the rod will be carried over the nose b of the tilting arrangement and permit the rod to move transversely of the mill away from the runout table over the apron iic. After passing over apron 5c the rod or bar will then be deposited on a series of spaced toothed or upwardly opening serrated plates 8 and is forming a hot bed. As previously stated, the rods or bars are of a certain elevated temperature as they emerge from the forming rolls to the runout table or guideway and it becomes necessary to allow them to move transversely of the mill in order to permit them to cool. The purpose and office or the hot bed is, therefore, to permit the rods or bars to cool to a sufficient degree in order to condition them for the succeeding operations set forth hereinbelow. To each toothed or serrated plate is imparted a. vertical and reciprocating action so that each valley I of the several plates may cradle a rod or bar and as the plates move relative to on another each rod or bar will be moved successively or in a stepping fasnion from one valley to the following or next adjacent valley. Movable means has been incorporated in the mill to actuate the toothed or serrated plates in a manner above described and as exemplary of such a means there is disclosed transversely spaced, vertically disposed supporting stanchions or posts 8 and la arranged in pairs and associated with related or adjacent plates. The hot bed plates 8 and to are universally connected to the upper extremities of the posts 8 and la respectively, so that the stanchions 8 function as transversely spaced supporting means for the hot bed plate 8 and the posts to carry .the hot bed plates to. In lower spaced relation to the hot bed plates are transversely spaced and directed horizontal shafts 9 Journaled at their ends in suitable bearings ID. The shafts are each provided with oppositely and horizontally directed arms or walking beams II and Ila to the free or outer extremities of which are universally mounted the lower ends of the stanchions 8 and 8a; that is to say each post I is secured to the walking beam II which extends horizontally from one side of each shaft and in like manner each stanchion 8a is connected to an arm Ha which projects from an opposite side of each shaft. Depending from each shaft 8 and desirably formed integral with the walking beams are transversely spaced fingers l2 terminatingshort of the foundation l3 and having disposed therebetween an operating shaft H; the latter of which is pivotally secured to the fingers and arranged to move in a reciprocatory action longitudinally of the mill. From the above, therefore. it will be noted that any movement of the operating shafts II in a direction away from the forming rolls will result in an upwardly tiltin action of the walking beams H with a corresponding lifting or elevating action of the bed plates 8 while the walking beams Ha will. by the same operation of the shaft, be tilted downwardly to lower the bed plates in. An opposite movement of the operating shafts ll will, of course, result assesses iournaled in a suitable bearing ll; the latter of which bears upon and is suitably fastened to the foundation it. The upper extremity of the rotating pillar is movably fixed to a cross bearer I! which extends horizontally and forms a part of the superstructure it of the rolling mill. At a location above the cross bearer the rotating pillar merges into and forms a part of oppositely directed, horizontally disposed and spaced sockets i9 and lid. Projecting'downwardly from one extremity of each cooling bed plate is a socket formins an extension in such a manner that related or adjacent bed plates have oppositely disposed and-spaced extensions 20 and 20a. The extension 20 on the bed plate 8 is in alignment with and on the same side of the rotating pillar as the socket I! while the extension 20a is on the bed plate la and on the same side of the rotating pillar and in alignment with the socket I80. This arrangement lends itself to the joining of extension 2| and socket I! through the medium of a connecting rod 2! and the joining of the extension 20a and the socket Ila by means of a connecting rod 210. Spaced a slight distance above the bearin II is a crank arm 22 of a clevis type and forming a horizontal wing of the rotating pillar, to havepivotally associated therewith, a horizontally movable operating shank 23. Any movement, therefore, of the operating shank will cause a clockwise or counterclockwise motion of the rotating pillar depending entirely upon the direction in which the operating shank is moved. This 7 action on the part of the rotating pillar will cause,

through the connecting rods 2| and 21a, an oscillating or relatively horizontal movement of the bed plates, so that combined with the relative vertical action of the bed plates caused by the supporting posts and walking beams, a walking motion will be imported to the bed plates and cause the rods to progress or move along the cooling bed through successive serrations from the runout table adjacent extremity thereof laterally toward the opposite end of the cooling bed. In this manner heated rods or bars are carried through successive periodic steps away from the runout table with sufficient time elapsing durin this handling action of the bars or rods for them to cool sumciently to permit them to be further processed.

Conveyor means has been arranged adjacent the cooling bed to ca y the rods or bars away therefrom and deliver them to shearing means whereby the rods or bars are cut into suitable commercial lengths. As an exempliflcat on of such a means there is provided adjacent the extremity of the cooling bed removed from the runin a reversal of the above recited bed plate action Q with a reciprocating movement of the operatin shaft carrying the bed plates in vertical directions past one another.

Positioned substantially between vertically extended planes of the associated bed plates is a rotary pillar I! which has its lower extremity out table, a series or plurality of limbs or leaves 24 which collectively form an assembly table to present a receiving means for the bars or rods as they are delivered from the hot bed. Each leaf which extends transversely of the mill has an end 25 thereof telescoping the associated extremity of the cooling bed desirably slightly below the rod carying plane thereof and being pivotally mounted on a shaft 28, the latter of which is journaled in suitable longitudinally aligned bearings 21 resting upon a portion of the superstructure It. Each leaf of the table is adapted to tilt or be revolved about the shaft 2 through the medium of a movable supporting or flexible structure which comprises an axle 28 carried by a suitable bearing 2! and having a crank arm I. rigidly secured thereto. Spaced an appreciable predetermined distance above each crank arm is av compound lever ll maintained in a fixed mosses position relative to the subiacent axle by a pin 32 located intermediate the ends of the compound lever. Each compound lever comprises a downwardly extending lever 33 which is pivotally connected to the crank arm throughv the link 34 and an upwardly extending lever 35 carrying a pivotal or rotatable member or wheel 36. Each wheel is in lower supporting relation with an associated assembly table leaf so that considering thedisclosures of Figure l and Figure 3 any rotative movement of the axle 28 in a clockwise direction will result in the movement of the compound lever in a counterclockwise direction about the pin 32 so that the wheel will move to a relative lower horizontal position and in effect run out from under the supported assembly table leaf to consequently lower the adjacent extremity of the table leaf. In this manner, there-v fore, the table is pivoted about the shaft 26 and arranged to be inclined outwardly and laterally and downwardly of the mill for the purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

Disposed adjacent the assembly table is a set, series, nest or arrangement of movable means 31 spaced in groups transversely of the mill and characterized by a plurality oflaterally extending rollers 38 and 38a; the former of which are within the range of the assembly table having their rod carrying plane spaced a trifle or predetermined distance below the corresponding plane of the assembly table and the latter or rolls 38a being spaced outwardly of the mill toward the lateral limits thereof from the rollers 38. Both of these sets of rollers are arranged to be driven by motors 38 in order to move the bars or rods longitudinally of the mill so that they may be subjected to the action of shearing means not shown) and thereby further condition the rods or bars for commercial use. Most clearly illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings is a schematic arrangement -of the movable means 3 each line of one row representing a roller 38 and each line of the other row depicting a roller 3811. In a full sized structure embodying the present invention the centers of the rollers are spaced approximately five feet apart longitudinally of the mill and in the instant illustration there '5 contemplated the use of approximately sixtv 'rollers in each line. This. as will be appreciated. is necessary due to the lengths of the individual rods or bars emitted from the forming rolls and ejected onto'each of the runout tables.

Elevating means is incorporated into the rolling mill for transferring some of the bars or rods accumulated on the assembly table to the mov- I able means or rollers 38a which are removed from the assembly table. As exemplary of such an elevatingmeans there is disclosed intermediate or substantially midway between the extended vertical plane of the limbs or leaves a track 40 formed by two outer rails 40a and an intermediate rail 40b all of which have their extremities secured to and bearing directly upon chairs 4| which in turn are conveniently spaced along longitudinally extending, laterally spaced beams 42. Q

The beams are associated with pedestals 43 forming a part of the superstructure It in such a manner that the pedestals are provided with vertically extending columns 44 projecting laterally of the rolling mill and extending into channels presented by spaced clips 45 outstanding from the beams. By this arrangement the beams and supported structure are guided in their vertical movement or retained in a fixed predetermined path. Depending from and secured to the beams in the close proximity of the pedestals are a plurality of bearings 46 while pivotally mounted in each pedestal is an operating lever 41, the latter of which is provided with a horizontally disposed arm 48 and a vertically extending arm 4|. The horizontal arm 48 of each operating-lever ing levers disposed beneath each beam are connectecl together by means of a line shaft 5| which is pivotally associated with the vertical arms and actuated in a reciprocatory manner longitudinally of the mill through any desired power means (not shown). From an inspection of particularly Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, it will be observed that upon any movement of the line shafts in a direction so as to impart a clockwise action to the operating levers the beams and supported tracks will be elevated as disclosed in Figures 4, 5 and 7 from normal position as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6. Any movement of the line shafts in an opposite direction will. of course,

' arranged to move along an upper or raised surface of the intermediate rail. The plates depend an appreciable distance below the wheels as at 55a to be in telescoping relationship with the 1 intermediate rail and in this manner the delivery tables or carriages are maintained in an upright position. Extending vertically and forming an intermediate portion of the plates of each table is a shank 56 which merges into or terminates in a horizontal branch or extension 51 having a rod or bar supporting contacting surface '58 thereof, when the beams are in normal position, slightly below the plane of .the rod or bar supporting surface of the assembly table.

Suitably journaled in and carried by the superstructure in a plane below the delivery table or carriage is a longitudinally extending power shaft 59 having extended vertically therefrom in the region of each delivery table a lever tnwhich has its upper or free end joined in a flexible fashion to the delivery table or carriage by means of alink 6| so that, upon any rotative movement of the power shaft in a counterclockwise direction when viewing Figure 1, each delivery table will be impelled along its supporting intermediate rail towards the opposite extremity thereof as disclosed in Figure 5 of the drawings. Movement of the power shaft in an opposite direction will move the transfer or delivery tables back to their normal position as illustrated in full lines in Figure 4.

A receiving carriage or transfer table 6-2 is associated with each track adjacent the extremity provided with annular members, roller elements or wheels 61 arranged to travel along and normally be in intimate contact with a lower surface ll of the outer rails. The plates depends. predetermined distance below the wheels II and Cl as at its to be telescopingly related to the rails and thereby maintain the receiving table upon the rails. Extending vertically from the apex of the legs is a shank I which terminates in a horizontally disposed branch or extension ll having a rod or bar receivingsurface II; the normal horizontal plane of which is below the normal horizontal plane of the delivery carriage surface ll. Disposed longitudinally of the mill is a power shaft 12 having fixed thereto, at spaced intervals in the proximity of an extended vertical plane of each receiving table, a plurality of levers I: extending in a somewhat vertical direction. Each lever 13 has its free or uppermost extremity Joined 01' flexibly connected to an associated receiving table through a link 14 so that upon a rotative action of the power shaft 12 in a clockwise directionwhen viewing Figure l, the receiving table will be moved along the tracks towards the delivery tables and a counter action of this power shaft will bring the delivery tables back to normal position or the location indicated in Figure 1.

It will be noted that each intermediate rail is provided with an inclined portion or step 15 intermediate its transverse limits to form a way or guiding surface from the lower surface I to the upper surface 55 while the outer rails each have an inclined portion or step 18 forming a guiding surface from the lower surface 88 to an upper surface ll.

By assuming that the assembly table and rollers 38 and 38a are free of rods or bars and the first rod is deposited on the assembly table from the cooling bed, the first and successive rods will roll or move along the links or leaves 24 until the first rod comes to rest against a series of aligned shoulders is spaced adjacent the upper inner extremities of the rollers I8. Thesuccessive rods will continue to roll along the leaves until a predetermined amount of rods are poised above the rollers 38 at which time the axle 28 is actuated in a clockwise direction to result in the wheels 36 moving about the pins :2 in a counterclockwise direction to lower the associated extremities of the assembly table and permit the rods or bars on the leaves immediately above the rollers 3a to be deposited upon the conveyor formed by the rollers 88. A rotative movement of the rollers 38 will then carry the supporting rods or bars longitudinally of the mill to be subjected to shearing means.

By referring particularly to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be noted that after the assembly table has been lowered to permit rods to be deposited upon the rollers 38, the rods or bars will continu to come off of the cooling bed to roll or move along the assembly table for approximately midway of a stationary or fixed platform plate ll where they will be picked up by the platform plate and moved therealong until the first of the thus directed rods or bars come to rest against a suitable barrier II. 'when a predetermined number ofbars or rods are assembled upon the platform plate and leaves, the line shafts II are then moved to actuate the operating levers 41 in a clockwise direction when considering Figure B which will elevate -.the beams and supporting rails or carriages as disclosed in Figure 7. This iatteractionwillpermitthesurfaces II ofthe deliverycarriages ortables tocontactthebarsor rods remaining on the assembly table and platform plate and raise these rods vertically as clearly indicated in full lines in Figure 4 of the drawings. A counter-clockwise motion of the power shaft I! and a clockwise action of the power shaft II will result in the delivery and receiving carriages or tables being moved towards one another to the positions indicated diagrammatically in Figure 4 wherein the delivery carriages are still supporting the rods and the surfaces ll of the receiving tables are positioned directly below the rods. A continued movement of the receiving tablesinwardly of the mill will cause, byreasonofthestepslland'll,thereceiving tables to raise and relieve the delivery tables of their load of rods as illustrated in Figure 5. The delivery tables are then moved out from beneath the rods and the, receiving tables are moved towards the lateral limits of the rolling mill where the rods carried thereby will be poised above the conveyor or rollers 38a. A lowering action of the beams, tracks and carriages will deposit the rods on the rollers 38a whereby they are moved towards and subjected to suitable shearing means.

From the disclosure of the accompanying drawlugs and the preceding description, it will be noted that various changes and alterations in the disclosed or exemplified construction may be made without departing from within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rolling mill, the combination of an assembly table, a plurality of transversely spaced movable means arranged to move rods longitudinally of said mill, vertically movable stepped track means, and transfer tables carried by said track means and arranged to telescope one another in a direction transversely of said mill for the removal of said rods from said assembly table to some of said movable means; some of said transfer tables being elevated by contacting said step.

2. In a rolling mill, the combination of a rod assembly table, a plurality of transversely spaced movable means arranged to move rods longitudinally of said mill, means for lowering said assembly table to permit some of the rods on said assembly table to bear upon some of said movable means, and transfer tables associated with said movable means and arranged to telescope one another for the removal of rods from the assembly table and deposit them on other of said movable means.

3. In a rolling mill, the combination of a rod assembly table, a plurality of transversely spaced movable means positioned adjacent said assembly table and arranged to move bars longitudinally of said mill, vertically movable stepped track means positioned below said movable means, and transfer means carried by said track means; said transfer means being arranged to engage said step and to lift rods from said assembly table and deposit them on some of said movable means.

4. In a rolling mill, the combination of a rod assembly table, a plurality of transversely spaced movable means arranged to move rods longitudinally of said mill, means for lowering said rod assembly table to permit some of the rods thereon to be deposited on some of the movable means, vertically movable track means, and transfer means carried by said track means for lifting rods from said assembly table and depositing them on other of said movable means.

10 5. In a rolling mill, the combination of an assembly table, movable means arranged to move rods longitudinally of said mill, vertically movable track means below said assembly table, elevating means on said track means, and carriage means movable along said track means; some of said carriage meansbeing arranged to contact said elevating means and move rods from said assembly table over said movable means.

6. In a rolling mill, the combination of an assembly table, movable means substantially in the same horizontal plane as said assembly table and arranged to move rods longitudinally of said mill, vertically movable track means below said assembly table, elevating means on said track means, and carriage means movable along said track means; said carriage means being normally below the upper plane of said movable means and arranged to contact said elevating means and move rods from said assembly tabl over said movable means.

7. In a rolling mill, the combination of a rod assembly table, a plurality of spaced movable means arranged to move bars longitudinally of said mill, means for lowering said assembly table for the deposit of some of said rods on some of said movable means, and carriage means arranged to telescope one another in a direction transversely of said mill for lifting other of said rods from,

said carriage means, and stepping means on said track means; some of said carriage means being arranged to contact said stepping means for removing rods deposited on some of said carriage means and transferring them on some other of said movable means.

9. In a rolling mill, the combination of a rod assembly table, a plurality of transversely spaced movable means for moving rods longitudinally of said mill, carriage means fdr transferring rods from said assembly table to some of said movable means, track means supporting said carriage means, means for lowering said assembly table so as to deposit some of said rods on some of said aasasee movable means and some of said carriage means, and means for elevating said track means and carriage means.

10. In a rolling mill, the combination of a rod assembly table, a plurality of transversely spaced movable means for moving rods longitudinally of said mill, transversely spaced carriage means for transferring rods from said assembly table to some of said movable means, track means supporting said carriage means, stepping means associated with said track means, means for lowering said assembly table so as to deposit some 01 said rods on some of said movable means and some of said carriage means, and means for elevating said track means; some of said carriage means being elevated from normal position through the medium of said stepping means.

11. In a rolling mill, the combination of a pivotally movable rod assembly table, a plurality of spaced movable means for moving rods longitudinally of said mill,- track means below said movable means, a plurality of spaced carriage means movable transversely of said mill along said track means, some of said carriage means having a rod supporting surface below the horizontal plane of a rod supporting surface of other of said earriage means, means for lowering said assembly table for depositing rods on some of said movable means and some of said carriage means, and means for moving said carriage means towards one another for transferring rods carried by some of said carriage means to other of said carriage means.

12. ha rolling mill, the combination of a rod assembly table, a plurality of transversely spaced movable means for moving rods longitudinally of said mill, transversely extending track means below said movable means, aplurality of transversely spaced carriage means movable transversely of said mill along said track means, some of said carriage means having a rod supporting surface below the horizontal plane of a rod supporting surface'of other of said carriage means, means for lowering said assembly table for depositing rods on some of said movable means and some of said carriage means, means for moving said carriage means toward and vertically of one another for transferring rods carried by some of said carriage means to other of said carriage means, and means for moving said track means vertically.

' EDWARD T. PETERSON. 

